Sibling Cutlery

Tortas de Chorizo y Frijoles Negros – from Bayless’ Mexican Everyday, make up Bayless entry #4. Tortas are basically Mexican sub sandwiches – hearty assemblies of beans, meat, cheese, avocado, and something spicy (or whatever else strikes the chef’s fancy) served between two halves of crusty-on-the-outside-chewy-soft-on-the-inside bolillo rolls. This particular variation uses the spicy Mexican sausage, chorizo, and a spread of mashed black beans as the main filling, and is topped off with queso fresco, avocado, smoky-hot salsa, and a bit of Mexican crema (because I’m naughty). Screw you Jared, I want a torta.

Ingredients. Looks good already (if a little raw).

Cook and break up the chorizo.

Add the black beans. If you forget to remove your polarizing filter, you get iridescent beans.

Mush the beans into a paste. That’s right, I said a paste. Does paste sound appetizing? This one should. Just hang in there.

Delicious, delicious paste.

Hollow out the bolillos. Give the scooped out centers to your Labrador. You do have a Labrador right? You should. They are the most versatile tool in your kitchen. I need one.

Toast the hollowed-out rolls.

Slice your avocado and queso fresco.

Time to assemble. Spread a generous schmeer of the chorizo-bean mixture on each roll.

Top with a hunk of cheese….

… fresh avocado…

… and a nice drizzle of smoky-hot salsa.

Finish off with a dollop of Mexican crema and the top of the roll. Bet you can’t eat just one…

Black Bean and Chorizo Tortas

From Mexican Everyday

Ingredients:

1. 8 oz. Mexican chorizo (if in casings, remove them)
2. 3-4 Tbl. vegetable oil
3. 2 15oz. cans black beans
4. 4 bolillo rolls, or similar French or submarine rolls
5. ~6 oz. queso fresco or other fresh cheese, sliced 1/4 in. thick
6. 1 ripe avocado, pitted, scooped from skin, and sliced 1/4 in. thick
7. Fresh or bottled salsa (something with a bit of smoky flavor is best)
8. Fresh Mexican crema or sour cream

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the chorizo. Break up the chorizo and cook thoroughly, about 8-9 minutes. Add 1-2 Tbl. of the oil, depending on amount of fat rendered by the chorizo (you may not need any at all). Bring the beans to a simmer, then mash into a paste with a potato masher, back of a large spoon, or the bottom of a glass. Cook, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Taste and season with a bit of salt if it needs it. Cover and keep warm over very low heat.

Heat a griddle over medium. Slice open each roll and scoop out a bit of the soft bread in the center of each half, making a hollow. Brush the insides with the remaining oil, then toast on the griddle, cut side down, for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. Smear ~1/2 cup of the bean and chorizo mixture into the bottom of each roll. Top with slices of cheese and avocado, then spoon on salsa and crema. Add the top of each roll, and enjoy.

Makes 4 tortas.